


Listen For Once

by Asexual_Enjolras



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Angel/Demon Relationship, Aromantic, Asexual Aziraphale (Good Omens), Asexual Character, Asexual Crowley (Good Omens), Asexuality Spectrum, Awkward Kissing, Awkward Romance, Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale's Bookshop, Best Friends, Canon Compliant, Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), Eventual Romance, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, Homoromantic, Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), M/M, Mutual Pining, Platonic Romance, Post-Canon, Post-Good Omens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-19 21:15:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19364227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asexual_Enjolras/pseuds/Asexual_Enjolras
Summary: Aziraphale is completely confused when he stumbles across the Gay Pride Parade happening in his local town centre and doesn't understand the concept of the celebrations. He reads up on the sexualities of humanity and begins to understand the concept of love.Crowley taunts, teases and jokes around with Aziraphale about him not understanding human sexualities so much that Aziraphale begins to question his own attraction.And, in regular Aziraphale and Crowley fashion, they slowly begin to understand their feelings toward one another.





	Listen For Once

***

Aziraphale studied the man and woman in front of him, their hands gliding together as they made their way through his small shop. He leant forward against the table, allowing his head to rest against his hand as his bright eyes followed the two people around the aisles. They looked so at one together, their small smiles matching as they too studied what was in front of them. 

"Oh, darling, this would look perfect at the reception." The woman clapped, tugging at the man's sleeve. Aziraphale felt himself correct his own sleeve, brushing out the creases as he watched the man agree with a nod. She turned to Aziraphale, her amber eyes shining brightly as the sun kissed her face. 

Aziraphale jumped up, acting as though he was busy the whole time. 

"Excuse me, we would like to purchase this book, please." She pointed at the gold standard book in front of them. Aziraphale made his way over to them, greeting them with a friendly smile. 

"This is a wonderful book." Aziraphale said, his voice full of warmth. The pair of them smiled at him. 

The woman grabbed hold of her fiancé's sleeve, her eyes resting on his face. She looked infatuated with him; Aziraphale could sense the love in her heart that she had. He grinned internally to himself, knowing that the love she felt for her male friend was real. He studied the male then, watching as he placed his hand on top of hers. Aziraphale felt his own heart flutter, he was just as in love with her as she was with him. It was heart-warming. 

"We are buying it as the sign-in book for our wedding reception." She said, joy written in her expression and tone. Her fiance was grinning like a child that had just been given a lollipop. "It will be perfect for it." 

Aziraphale, though he had no concept of marriage, liked the idea of his book being used on a day as important as their wedding day. He did not know what the book would be used for or why but it would be something they could treasure and that was something he loved the idea of. 

"That sounds splendid." He clapped, wrapping the book into a thin sheet of paper with a neat finish. He then placed it into a small paper bag and handed it to them, taking their money with a smile. 

Aziraphale never did buy this store for the money, the sheer smile on his customers' faces was payment enough. But that would be viewed as incredibly odd and he just had to put a price tag on them. 

"It's going to be a traditionally big, white wedding." 

Aziraphale nodded, unable to think of anything to say that wouldn't make him sound inhuman. 

"Big white dress and all." The man said. 

"Oh, I wish I could be married." Aziraphale said, his mouth running away with itself before he could stop it. "You two make such a beautiful couple." 

He glared at them with a wide, discontorted smile.

"Thank you." The woman spoke as her blonde side fringe fell delicately against her cheekbone. Her fiancé shuffled in his stance. 

"Right. Well, we must be off." 

"Yes, yes, thank you for the book." She said, taking it back now. She was staring at Aziraphale with concerned, wide eyes. They left, leaving Aziraphale with his own confused expression.

"Could you really be anymore obvious?" Crowley's dark tone shocked Aziraphale as he jumped. He turned around to see the demon standing coolly against the wall, his arms folded across his torso and his legs crossed. He wore his usual sunglasses even though they were indoors sported with his normally dark clothes. "Those poor people thought you were about to follow them home." 

"They thought no such thing." Aziraphale sniped back, straightening himself up. "I was being nice." 

"You were being creepy." 

"What are you doing here, Crowley?" Aziraphale rolled his eyes. 

"Is that anyway to greet an old friend?" Crowley smirked, his voice smooth. Aziraphale shivered, feeling Crowley's voice melt through his body.

"Yes, I think it rather is. Especially if that friend is you, Crowley." 

"Right." Crowley scowled. "I came to see you, angel, actually." 

Aziraphale felt his heart flutter. He glared at Crowley's soft expression and smiled at his friend. It still felt strange to him for them to be friends, even if they were free. 

"What in heaven's name for?" He asked, placing his book down on the table. 

"I came to ask you about marriage, actually." 

"Marriage?" 

"Yes, marriage." Crowley repeated. "Why do people do it? Why do they tie themselves to one person for the rest of their lives?" 

Aziraphale didn't meet his eyes, confused about why the demon would be asking such a question. 

"I suppose sort in the same way that we have been tied to one another." 

Crowley looked at him, meeting his eyes. They were close enough to feel each other's breath, and Crowley was sure he saw Aziraphale shuffle, awkwardly. 

"That is not the same." Crowley snapped. 

"Yes - right, no." 

"I didn't mean to snap at you." Crowley's words took the breath out of Aziraphale's throat, shocking him with his openly kind tone. "Not like that anyway." 

"Apology accepted." 

"That was no apology, angel. I'm a demon, Aziraphale." He said. "I do not apologise." He spat. 

"Oh, please. You do bore me." 

"And you bore me. Good day." 

Aziraphale reached out for him, scolding himself for allowing himself to push Crowley away after he had so openly been nice and apologised. He frowned down at his feet. 

***

Crowley leant back against the chair, resting his feet on Aziraphale's small coffee table and smirking to himself at how mad the angel would be if he were here to witness it. He glanced around, wondering where his friend could have gotten to. 'Killer Queen' was blasting loudly out of Aziraphale's small record player. 

Crowley loved the fact that the angel kept Queen's vinyl tucked away in his living room beside his Beethoven and Mozart just incase the demon did ever show up out of the blue. 

He shut his eyes, taking a sip of Aziraphale's exquisite wine collection. He felt himself slowly drifting into a light slumber, rubbing his eyes. 

"Crowley - I did not expect to find you laying here." Aziraphale said. 

"Evidently." Crowley opened his eyes with a snigger, scowling at the angel in front of him. "Been busy, have we?" 

Aziraphale stood tall in front of Crowley wearing his usual fancy suit and his usual friendly expression with a small difference; he stood wearing a rainbow painted on his face with rainbow glitter laced in his hair. 

"Rather the opposite, actually." He said. 

"Wine?" 

Aziraphale gave a small nod. 

"The centre is literally impossible to walk around." He spoke, softly. "There are people everywhere dressed in the most outrageous, yet fun, outfits." 

Crowley rolled his eyes, placing the wine glass into Aziraphale's hands with a gentleness about it. 

"It was so much fun, Crowley." He said. 

"Yes, sounds exquisite." He rolled his eyes. 

"I have absolutely no idea what was happening but there were so many people there all supporting rainbows." 

"Ah yes, God's promise not to kill everyone again." Crowley muttered under his breath. 

"Precisely. Oh, do you think that is what they were celebrating?" 

"No." Crowley laughed. "Of course not, Aziraphale." 

The angel shuffled.

"No, no, of course not." 

"I mean, since when have humans liked to celebrate God and her plans?" He sniggered to himself. 

"Christmas-"

"Oh, come off of it, Aziraphale. Christmas is about food." He started. "And - and presents." 

Aziraphale nodded, straightening his tie. 

"Yes, I - I think so." 

"Human beings are weird." Crowley said, simply. Aziraphale smiled and nodded, agreeing with him on that too. He found himself doing that a lot. He agreed with Crowley much more than he should do. He was an angel, for heaven's sake. Crowley is supposed to be the demon, he isn't supposed to agree with anything that he says. 

"Can I tempt you to a spot of lunch?" Aziraphale nudged the demon, making the demon snigger and stand up. 

"With you, of course." Crowley smirked. 

***

Aziraphale turned the pages of the book in his hand, studying the page with anticipation. It was a book about human sexualities. And it was covered in rainbows and colourful flags. He liked colour. He liked it a lot. And he was intrigued by the parade that he witnessed. He had never seen anything quite so jolly and celebratory. 

He turned the page and read the first in the list, thinking back to the happiness he felt when watching the man and woman in his shop earlier on. 'Heterosexuality' was rather cliché, he thought. Adam and Eve were evidently what would be listed under this term, he thought. 

Homosexuality made him smile to himself, a relationship between two people of the same relationship sounded lovely. He read on, reading about the meaning of the rainbow flag and the sexuality. 

He smiled internally. The rainbow being used as their celebration of no more persecution of those that had sexual relations with the same gender was a lovely thought. God's name had been used to slander the homosexuals for many centuries, and the Bible had been used as an excuse to hate them. 

Which was completely absurd because Aziraphale knew first hand that God couldn't give a hoot about who was falling in love with who. It didn't have any impact on their ability to go to heaven or hell. He scoldered the human race for allowing such a belief to tarnish the good name of their Lord for so long. 

Then he thought on, perhaps it was a demon that had written such slanders. 

He continued to read on, reading about bisexuality, demisexuality and asexuality and more. He, though embarrassed to admit it, was beginning to lose track and so slammed the book shut. 

The term 'aromantic' simmered a place in his heart for some reason.

***

"Do you ever go home?" Aziraphale asked, jumping when he saw Crowley lying on his sofa. He was listening to Queen again. 

"I thought that this was my home." He said, without thinking. 

Aziraphale blinked, licking his lips. 

"Well - I suppose it could be." 

Crowley looked up over his sunglasses, smirking. He felt this to be an accomplishment, having a welcome to stay at Aziraphale's place whenever he wanted. He liked having that freedom. And he wouldn't admit it but he was definitely glad of it. 

"Oh, I found out what the parade was all about and you won't believe it-" Aziraphale said, excited.

"Oh, yes. Did you research of the sexualities too?" 

"I did, yes." Aziraphale grinned, pleased with himself. "Wait-" He stopped, staring at Crowley with a burning desire to hit him. "You knew, didn't you? All that time." 

Crowley threw an apple in the air. 

"Yes, of course." He shrugged. 

Crowley had researched it the first time he had come across the parade back in 2004. He had grown curious of it and wanted to know why there were so many people that all looked to be so high in spirits. And he was aware of homosexuality due to Freddie Mercury in the 70's. He was very fond of that man and his music. 

If he had been doing his job properly then he could have used the knowledge to his advantage and instilled all people at Pride marches with the fear of God. But Crowley had stopped caring about his role as a demon long ago.

Since he had first spoken to Aziraphale, if he was to be completely honest. 

"I am surprised that you had no idea." 

"And what is that supposed to mean?" 

"Well - you are you, angel." He shrugged. "Aren't you supposed to be all-loving or something?" 

"No." Aziraphale shook his head. 

"Omni-"

"-benevolent, no. That's God." 

"Omnibenevolent, huh?" Crowley coughed. "What a stupidly long word."

"Be serious for once, please." 

"I mean, who even came up with that?" He continued. "I bet it was God Herself. I bet it was. She's always trying to be extra." 

Aziraphale threw his book down, frowning. 

"You never listen to me." 

"She's so extra." He repeated himself, laughing. 

"Look, listen, I need to tell you something, Crowley." Aziraphale snapped his fingers, making the demon look up from the ground in shock. He was lying on the sofa still, not having moved since he was basically invited to stay.

"Listen, you may be a demon man and I may be an angel and I may not be good at expressing myself but I also know that I am rather quite fond of you, Crowley." Arizaphale's voice was desperate as he pleaded, speaking so fast that he needed to stop every so often in order to catch his breath. 

Crowley just glared at him, unable to comprehend the words he was listening to. His hair stood on end, baffled. His mouth curved at the side, involuntarily. 

"Please don't laugh at me, Crowley." Aziraphale pleaded. Crowley gave him a stare that was supposed to say 'like I would' and sat up, rolling his eyes. "But I think that I am a little bit in love with you." 

"Only a little?" Crowley leant against the wall, crossing his arms with a smirk.

"Stop it. Be serious, please." 

"I am being serious." 

"I'm opening my heart up to you and you are mocking me." 

"I'm a demon." He shrugged.

"That is not an excuse to be so cruel to me." 

"Well, it kind of is." Crowley gave him a little wink. He took a step forward toward the smaller man, tilting his head to rest his head on his hand. 

"Heaven knows why I even bother speaking to you." Aziraphale stomped his foot on the ground, turning away from them. 

"Oh, come on." Crowley raced to the other side of the wall, facing Aziraphale again. "I was just joking with you." 

"No you were not." 

"I was, I promise." Crowley took hold of his hand. Aziraphale felt his heart stop in his chest. He held his other hand out and took Crowley's other hand. 

Crowley met Aziraphale's eyes, his mouth falling closer to the angel's. The demon pushed him hard against the wall and grinned, inches away from his face. 

"I'm a little in love with you too, you idiot angel." 

Crowley smirked, taking in the scent of the other being before stepping away. Arizaphale fluttered, falling to the floor, unable to remain standing on his shaking legs. 

"Listen, I got you some tickets to see that Shakespeare act in the centre this weekend." 

"You - you did?" He remained on the floor. 

"I did." Crowley tilted his head. "Well, kind of." He clicked his fingers and passed two tickets to the angel on his knees beside his feet. 

He offered his hand to the smaller man, helping Aziraphale to his feet and brushing the dust from his clothes. Crowley looked down at his hands and batted his eyelids. 

"What does this mean for us?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well - are you going to stay with me?" 

Crowley felt his own heart stop beating for a split second. This was something that he had wished for for a while. He had always wanted Aziraphale to offer him a bed in his home. He liked his home, it was sweet and it felt somewhat safe, like it was their place and nobody else's. 

"Am I welcome to -"

"Of course you are." Aziraphale said, without hesitation. "You always have been." 

"Al - always?" 

"Always." 

Crowley looked around, noticing the small odes to his personality that he had never noticed before. The fact that Queen's vinyl had always been tucked away had always just been simply there because he visited sometimes. He grinned down to his hands. 

"God's ineffable plan, what do you think it is?"

Aziraphale shrugged, still unsure of the answer. 

"I don't know. But Her plan certainly won't involve us, Crowley." 

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"Because She is fully aware that I want no part of any war or anything of the sort."

"But is She really?" He taunted. 

"You infuriate me, Crowley." 

"Yes, I am aware." 

"Have I ever told you quite how much you do infuriate me?" Aziraphale threw his hand down on the wooden table. Crowley gave him a small shake of the head. "Well, you do infuriate me. You infuriate me a great amount. You have absolutely no care for anything in the world. You do not care about me or my feelings and you certainly don't care that you don't care." 

Crowley wanted to jump in and tell him how wrong he was. Crowley did care for Aziraphale. He had never told him but he could feel when he was hurting, he could feel it in his chest. 

"And worst of all, you have absolutely care for yourself." 

Crowley felt a pain in his chest again. It hurt a lot, so much that he reached for his heart. He hated how much Aziraphale could make his heart ache and yearn. 

"I love you." He blurted out, unable to stop himself. 

"And you have absolutely no idea what it would do to me if I lost you, Crowley. You don't even attempt to understand it. I'm in love with you and you are too blinded by your selfish, demonic ways to even see that." 

"You idiot." He muttered, shaking his head. 

"See, even now you don't listen to what I am saying. You never listen to me." 

"I said I love you-"

"You just never listen to me, Crowley."

Crowley choked on his own laugh at the shere hypocrisy in his friend's words, his eyes narrowing as he leant forward to Aziraphale's lips. His mouth touched the angel's, shocking the smaller man so much that he stopped speaking. He closed his eyes, leaning into the kiss with a complete lack of awareness about what was happening and why it felt so weird. 

Crowley pulled away. 

"Well, that's not quite as good as I thought it would be." He said. 

"No. Humans make it look so - so good and romantic." 

"They do, don't they?" 

"Yes." He shuffled, feeling awkward about the situation. 

"Nonetheless, I do know that I do really quite like you, Aziraphale." 

"I really quite like you too." 

Crowley smiled. Aziraphale took a step forward, wrapping his arms around Crowley. He had always wanted to hold Crowley in his arms like humans do with their loved ones but was always afraid of the backlash. Crowley wrapped his arms around the angel in return, resting his chin on his head and in his hair. His hair was soft and he liked the feel of it against his chin. 

"Shall we go get some food then?" Crowley said, breaking away.

"No, I - I quite like this."

Aziraphale took hold of his hand and led him to the bedroom, pushing him onto his bed.

"If you don't mind, I'd quite like to just lay here for a while-" 

"I don't mind at all, Angel." Crowley said, tucking his head into the crook of his neck. He closed his eyes and started to fall asleep in his arms. 

Aziraphale clicked his fingers, switching on Queen's record with the song 'Love of my Life' playing. 

"You really are so predictable." Crowley muttered against his chest. 

"Perhaps." 

"But I am rather, very much fond of you." 

"Well, that was always ineffable." 

Crowley sniggered, holding Aziraphale tigher.

***

**Author's Note:**

> This is just how I view Crowley and Aziraphale's relationship; to me it's just a love story between two beings that are too damn stupid to realise it. 
> 
> They just can't live without one another.


End file.
